Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the beholder’s tastes are influenced by the canon of beauty prevalent during his or her life. The first Impressionist exhibition, which took place in 1874, caused an outrage because artists presenting their works had broken with the rules of academic painting imposed by the French Academy of Arts two hundred years earlier. In his lecture, Professor Jeremy Tambling from the University of Manchester will discuss the meaning of aestheticism in relation to nature and natural beauty.
The lecture, organized by SWPS University's Interdisciplinary Doctoral School is a part of the series The Challenges of the Humanities of the 21st Century.
The lecture will be conducted in English. Free admission.
Natural Beauty, Natural History and Ugliness
Taking some hints from the English industrial novel and D.H. Lawrence, this lecture draws on Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno to explore the meaning of aestheticism and the dangers and importance of aesthetic judgments in thinking about nature, and natural beauty, and will think about what is meant, in critical theory, by the concept of natural history and what it means to think of ugliness in art.
Professor Jeremy Tambling
The speaker, Jeremy Tambling is a writer and critic. He is Professor Emeritus of Literature at Manchester University and Honorary Professor of Comparative Literature at University of Hong Kong.
His literary interests range from Boccaccio to Kafka, Chaucer to Cinema. As a literary scholar, he uses critical and cultural theory, and the culture of cities, especially London. He is the author of numerous books, publications and reviews on Blake, Dickens, the nineteenth-century. His current research includes work on cities in literature and the history of the Devil, with reference to Freud, Blake and Dostoevsky.
We are happy to host Professor Tambling at SWPS University for the second time. The lecture on ‘Natural Beauty, Natural History and Ugliness’ complements the interdisciplinary character of our lecture series.
Professor Izabela Grabowska, Director of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School
The Challenges of the Humanities of the 21st Century
“The Challenges of Humanities of the 21st Century” is a series of lectures by distinguished specialists, who represent various disciplines from the field of humanities. The events are aimed at students of SWPS University's Interdisciplinary Doctoral School, however all interested parties are welcome. The format includes post-lecture informal discussions on topics presented by the invited experts. The friendly atmosphere of the events is conducive to networking, which lends itself to opportunities of future internships at universities or research centers around the world.
Doctoral Education at SWPS University
Doctoral education at SWPS University is open to people interested in an academic career and also to those, who would like to continue their education and personal development in support of their career advancement. The interdisciplinary character of our programs allows students to participate in projects from various disciplines. Our doctoral students collaborate with scholars from the best research centers in Poland and around the world. The master-apprentice approach guarantees that each student receives individual attention and professional support.
Date and Location
November 29, 2019 at 17.00
SWPS University, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw, room S302
Organizer
SWPS University's Interdisciplinary Doctoral School